The Language of Flowers
by TARDIS Chaser
Summary: Bofur/OC and slightly inspired by Big Fish. Bofur is living in Bree by himself when he meets a hobbit lass. And it is love at first sight, or drink, depending on what happened first. Bofur knows he wants her as his wife, but the lass isn't quite sure about him. Set before the quest to Erebor.
1. thornless rose

**A/N**

So this is my first fic for The Hobbit. Keep in mind, it takes place before the timeline of The Hobbit, though not real far off, perhaps a few years. I was partially inspired by the film Big Fish for aspects of Bofur's character and some other things.

This is also the first fic I have written in ages... so I'm very rusty on this sort of thing. Forgive me if it is fast paced or jumbled.

I only own characters that do not appear in the actual Tolkien universe (I.E. Sebastian Took, Clover Gamgee).

Also, I cite wikipedia for information I find on the actual language of flowers.

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**Chapter 1  
**  
_thornless rose  
_  
It was love at first sight. Or drink, in Bofur's case. The dwarf was sitting in a rather sketch looking pub, enjoying a pint, when he saw her. She was no dwarf, nor man. She had to have been a hobbit; it was Bree, after all, which wasn't too far from the Shire. Often times Bofur bumped into some halflings as he sold his toys in the market. He knew by her shoe less, hairy feet what she was. And that was a hobbit.

And she was quite a lovely one. Bofur lit up his pipe, chewing on the end of it was he watched her. She was working the pub, it seemed, delivering drinks and food to the patrons. And that would mean him, as well, if he finished his drink fast enough. With a grin, he tossed it back before slamming the empty tankard onto the table to get her attention.

The hobbit lass merely glanced towards him as she delivered the food to a nearby table. A faint smile appeared on her face as she gave the dwarf a look over. It wasn't rare to see dwarfs in Bree, but they weren't as common as hobbits.

She approached Bofur's table, a sly grin on her face as she put her hands on her hips. He took her in, giving her a good look over. Her dress was dirty, a bit torn, but still held a lovely floral pattern upon it. Her apron was stained, burnt, and covered in a wide array of stains, but managed to still look lovely upon her. Her head of curls was a beautiful chestnut color, and Bofur couldn't help but want to run his fingers through her hair. He wanted to kiss those full lips, gaze into her hazel eyes, and hold her hands and never let go.

And this was before she took his order.

"What can I bring you then, darling?" She asked. He smiled brightly when she spoke. Her voice was like the sweetest song he ever heard, and the way she called him darling made his heart ache. Oh, Bofur needed to stop before he had his heart broken.

"Another ale would be lovely, lass." He replied, still smiling. "Perhaps some bread and butter as well?"

She smiled and nodded, and he felt his heart flutter. She turned and walked back to the kitchen, Bofur watching her with a smile. Oh, she was too beautiful for words.

He immediately knew he wanted her for his wife.

Bofur was unfamiliar with the way to court a hobbit. With dwarves, it was usually an offering of a hair clasp and offer to braid it in. Usually food was exchanged as well, and a few gifts, and that was just with the intent to court. After that, if it was received, the couple would court from anywhere to one year to several. Bofur hoped that it was easier with hobbits.

He knew of an old hobbit who lived in Bree, actually. He always had a tent set up near Bofur's, and he sold pottery. Bofur decided he would be the best one to answer his questions. Sebastian Took was an odd one, yes, but Bofur enjoyed his company and had a feeling he would help him out if Bofur offered to carve some toys for the hobbit's grandchildren.

It was decided, then. Bofur would question the old Took about courting a hobbit before his attempts on her.

Except he realized he did not know her name. That was a bit of a problem.

Bofur decided to fix the problem of not knowing his future wife's name. He was going to walk right up and ask her.

And he did just that. The old Took had told him how hobbits court. They were simple folks, hobbits, and they enjoyed simple things like baked goods, a lovely song, or just spending time with loved ones. He told the lovestruck dwarf that the best way to court a hobbit - especially one away from the Shire, was to give them something that made them think of home, such as flowers. That was the best first gift to give.

Bofur badgered the old Took about the Shire, asking questions about what that meant. He had never been - he had no idea what kinds of flowers were there. Thankfully, the Took gave in, telling him to just give the lass a bouquet of certain flowers.

And Bofur did just that, going to the stands and picking up flowers from the different booths. He got handfuls of daffodils, forget-me-nots, plumeria, and finally, a single lavender rose in the center. He tied the bouquet up with a blue ribbon before marching his way down to the tavern to ask of her name.

When he arrived, he was surprise at how empty it was. Then again, it was midday, edging closer towards an early evening time. There were few patrons lingering around, eating their meals and enjoying their ale.

And that's when Bofur saw her, his hobbit lass, delivering a tray of food to a family seated near the stone fireplace. She greeted them merrily, placing the food in front of them. She greeted the children all with a smile, slipping a sweet onto their plates when their parents weren't looking. She headed back to the kitchen, which is when Bofur decided to make his move.

He was quick to approach her. When she saw him, she offered him a smile.

"Master dwarf, you are here rather early." She said. "Is there anything you'd like?"

He nodded and, finding himself speechless, held the bouquet out for her. He watched her eyes widen, then her cheeks flush, and her smile get even bigger when she took the bouquet from him. She knew all the names of the flowers, murmuring them to herself as she inspected every one of them.

"Why, thank you, Master dwarf!" The hobbit lass cried happily, the smile still on her face. "These are absolutely lovely!" She stopped for a moment, a slight frown on her face. "I do not even know your name, good sir. Why would you give me such a lovely gift?"

Bofur smiled and gave her a bow. "Bofur, at your service, my lady!" He straightened up, still smiling. "I was... I brought you the bouquet in hopes... well, I wish to court you, if that is all right."

She blushed now, but did not look mad, much to Bofur's relief. She looked more surprised than anything.

"Dear Bofur, you do not even know my name."

"Which is another reason I'm presenting you with this lovely bouquet. I wish to know your name." Bofur replied with a bob of his head. "I imagine it is as lovely as the rest of you.'

She smiled shyly, looking down at her bouquet. "My name is Clover. Clover Gamgee." She told him. "And you, dear Bofur, do not even know me! What has possessed to you to want to court me when you are just now learning my name?"

"I am a bit of a fool at times, I'll admit that." The dwarf told her. "However, I know what I want when I see it. I knew I wanted to meet you and marry you the moment my eyes gazed upon you the other night. And I know hobbits have their own way of doing things, so I am willing to try whatever it takes to have you as my wife."

And with that, he bowed to her and left, leaving a very confused and flustered Clover.


	2. clover

**A/N**

Woah, folks are reading this? This is awesome, thank you! :D

I'm enjoying writing Bofur like this, because I see that he would be the dwarf to not give up on love once he found it. Aw yea.

Again, I don't own characters that appear in actual Tolkien works.

* * *

****

Chapter 2  
  
_clover_

The next day, Clover woke to the sun rising. She rubbed her face, thinking back to the day before. That dwarf, Bofur, was it? Proposed courtship to her! She stumbled around a bit in a daze during the rest of her shift, in complete shock from it all.

She didn't know much of dwarves, except that they liked their gold and they liked their ale. They also lived in the mountains throughout Middle Earth, though she had heard stories of the legendary Erebor being overtaken by a dragon. That might be why there were often times dwarves - such as Bofur, in Bree. Sometimes they stayed and made a home in Bree, though more often they were just passing through, heading to the next place for work.

Groaning, she threw off her blanket and hopped out of bed, stretching her arms out. She went over to the window and opened the curtains, humming softly at the streets below before going over to her wash basin. After splashing her face in cold water, she suddenly rushed back to her window, leaning over the window sill to stare at the sight before her.

On the streets below was a cart of... clovers. Bofur was leaning against the side of it, dozing upright. She was stunned and backed away from the window, trying to think about what she saw. When she looked outside her window again, it was still there. A cart full of clovers.

Clover sighed and grabbed her cloak, rushing out of her room and down the stairs of the pub and outside to the street where the cart stood. Bofur was still dozing, though he was dangerously close to toppling over. She huffed in annoyance and shook him awake.

"Oh, you silly dwarf!" She scolded when he opened his eyes. She threw her cloak over his shoulders to warm him up. "Were you out here all night? You could have caught your death out here!"

Bofur smiled sleepily at her as he straightened up, gesturing to the cart. "I wasn't sure how you felt about my bouquet yesterday, so I thought of something else! A cart of the same plant sharing your name, my dear Clover!"

Her cheeks flushed and she clasped the cloak on him. "Let's get you inside where we can warm you up. Let's... well, perhaps we should know each other a bit more before this continues further!" She said. His smile was even brighter, if possible, as he followed her into the pub and up the stairs to her room. She made him sit on the bed as she went back downstairs to collect some breakfast and tea.

Bofur took his chance to look around the room. It was pretty empty, save for a trunk with some clothes sticking out of it and a few trinkets and pictures next to the bed. A drawing of a male hobbit sat next to her bed. Bofur swallowed, wondering if he was now overstepping himself with this courtship. Another drawing was of a young hobbit lad, who looked an awful lot like the hobbit in the previous photo.

Oh dear. Could this be her husband and child? Or perhaps a dead husband and suffering child? Bofur felt sad now as he looked at the drawings before turning his attention to the trinkets. A few hairclasps sat next to the photos, as well as a necklace. The necklace was bronze with a four leafed clover stamped into it, obviously for her namesake. He smiled a bit at that.

When he heard her coming back up the stairs, he sat himself back on the bed, trying to look innocent. However, Clover noticed his look when she walked in and arched an eyebrow.

"You haven't been snooping, have you, Mister Bofur?" She asked as she set the tray of food and tea down. Smiling, he shook his head as he started to get up. "Oh, no, stay there. You look exhausted on your feet and I fear you may drop the dishes!"

"Oh, really now, you aren't working. I can't have you serve me!" He protested as he sat back on the bed. He did feel tired, however. He stood guard over that cart until the sun started to rise. He was barely asleep before Clover came down to him, throwing her cloak on him like that.

While she busied herself fixing their tea, he decided to act on something that was starting to bug him.

"You're... you're not already married, are you?" He asked, glancing over at the pictures. Clover didn't look up from the tea.

"No, no. Never married, nor engaged." She replied.

"Ah, very well."

"Why do you ask?"

Bofur shrugged a bit as he glanced over to the drawings. She saw where he was looking and smiled a bit as she brought over a plate to him. "That's my brother, Hamfast, and his son, Samwise. I keep those close because I miss them terribly."

"Why are you so far away from home, Miss Clover?" He asked with a frown, poking at his food. Clover smiled sadly as she brought over her own plate, taking a seat next to him on the bed. "I thought hobbits didn't stray to far from the Shire."

"I could ask the same of you, Mister Bofur. Don't dwarfs keep to their mountains?" She shot back, more aggresive than she meant. Her eyes widened and she looked down. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to sound rude."

To her surprise, Bofur just smiled as he started to eat his breakfast. "I grew up in the Blue Mountains, and while my brother and cousin still live there, it just was not home for me anymore. I needed a change of scenery and decided to just walk until I found a place. And that place happened to be here, actually."

Clover sipped her tea, nodding slowly. "Mhmm. I suppose that was similar with the Shire. It's ... it's a beautiful place, but there was nothing there for me once my brother married. Our parents died when I was a child, and my brother raised me with the help from uncles and aunts... but..." She trailed off, frowning. "I'm sorry for going on like that."

Bofur only smiled, taking a bite of the biscuit she brought him. "Quite all right." He said in between chews. "Sounds like we are almost kindred spirits in that sense."

Clover cocked an eyebrow and looked at him. "You certainly wish to court me, don't you?"

"Aye, that I promise." Was his answer.

Sighing, Clover shook her head. "Save me from the stubborn dwarf."


	3. laurestine

**A/N**  
Woo chapter three.

I don't know how long this story is going to be? Long enough, I suppose! Not epic long, but I think I will take it up until Bofur leaves for the quest, with an epilogue of him coming home. I am not all that sure just yet. I'm having to much fun writing derpy dwarf feels.

* * *

**Chapter 3**  
_laurestine_

Every day, Clover awoke to flowers left at her door for nine days in a row. They were daisies - plain, simple daisies, always tied with a ribbon and left for her to wake up too. And each morning, Clover would collect them and leave them on her table. She was touched by the dwarf's intentions, however, she gently tried to convince him that she was not the hobbit for him, and that he would be happier with a female dwarf instead.

And he would just smile, give her a flower, and continue on his business.

Shaking her head, she readied herself and went downstairs to help the pub open for the daily traffic. She threw on her apron and brushed her hair from her eyes before she began assisting the early customers.

Around early afternoon, her boss pulled her aside and gave her a small pouch of coins.

"Need somethings from the market. Onions, potatoes, and carrots. Can you go get'm? I trust a hobbit on this more than the cook." He said gruffly. "Be quick. Need it before the dinner rush."

So Clover grabbed her cloak and hurried out to the market, clutching the pouch and a basket close. Oh, how she loved the market. It made her think of the Shire, filled with the different foods and wares people had to offer. She knew she needed to hurry back, but her boss certainly wouldn't mind if she looked around just a little bit. Little Samwise had a birthday coming up, and she wanted to have a gift to bring him when she visited for it.

Bofur was having a delightfully busy day at his booth. Children were swarming him, asking for a story, or a song, or how a certain toy worked exactly. He delighted in the requests, telling a story of a singing chamber pot while demonstrating how a toy dragon with strings attached to it worked.

His story ended when the parents came to collect their children(and in some cases, purchase toys from him). He pocketted the coins before rearranging his remaining toys, humming a song to himself.

Another child approached his booth, eyeing the toy dragon apprehensively.

Bofur greeted him with a smile. "Well hello there, young sir! What can I interest you in today?"

The child pointed to the dragon toy, eyes wide. "Are dra'ons real?" He asked, eyes wide with a hint of fear, yet curiousity. Bofur smiled at the lad, picking up the toy to demonstrate it for him.

"Aye, they are. But no reason to fear them here, lad!" He exclaimed as he made the toy flap its mighty wooden wings. "Dragons prefer big mountains, and there are none like that here in Bree. And they do love gold, but thankfully there is none here, now is there!"

The lad smiled and nodded. "Aye! And if there was one, my da would slay it!"

Bofur chuckled and set the toy down. "I'm sure he would! Dragons are fierce creatures, but they do have a weak spot from my understanding. Unfortunately, I am no expert on dragons. I don't know if you kill them with kindness or a thump on the head."

The two talked for a few more minutes, swapping silly ideas on how to slay a dragon, until the lad's mother called him away. He waved to Bofur and ran off, laughing merrily. Bofur just smiled widely as he took a seat again, only to jump right back up when he saw Clover approach his booth.

"Well then, the afternoon became more pleasant now that I have seen you, Miss Clover!" He exclaimed happily. "What brings you here today?"

"You make toys?" She asked, picking up a few toys to inspect them. "Oh my, this one is quite lovely!" Clover picked up one of a rabbit, looking it over with a smile. "How much for the rabbit, Mister Bofur?"

He took her hand in his, closing her fingers over the rabbit. "Consider it a gift, for it is an honor to be able to court you, my dear hobbit." He said with a smile. Clover turned red as she fumbled for her own coin purse.

"Nonsense! I should pay for it, as it is a gift to my dear nephew!" She replied, frowning. Bofur just shook his head.

"I shall not take a single coin for that toy, Miss Clover!" He refused politely. Clover sighed and placed the toy in her basket. Despite only knowing Bofur for little over a week, she had already learned how stubborn he was early on. "However..."

She perked up a bit, looking at him. "However what?"

"The payment I will accept is this. What is your favorite flower?"

"Oh, dear Bofur..."

"No, no. I wish to know! You will not regret it." He assured her.

Clover smiled a bit and shook her head. "Very well. Sunflowers are my favorite, dear dwarf." She sighed. "But I do not wish to wake up to a cart full of those! They are to beautiful to be picked in such quantity!"

Bofur laughed softly. "I will remember that. Fear not, no sunflower will be harmed!"

~

Clover returned to the pub with the vegetables in tow. As soon as they were dropped off with the cook, she ran upstairs to deposit her basket and toy. Carefully, she placed it next to the picture of Samwise. It would stay there until her journey to the Shire in a month's time, which gave her plenty of time to purchase gifts for her brother and his wife as well.

She stared at the wood carving of the rabbit for a few minutes, frowning. Bofur was certainly going to great lengths, and she was starting to wonder if she was being cold hearted in the way she acted towards him. Why, he had brought her many flowers and even gave her a free toy! And she had not done anything in return. Then again, Clover was unfamiliar with the way dwarfs courted, and she was unsure who to ask.

Sighing softly, she spied the hairclasps that laid on the table next to the rabbit. She heard stories of dwarfs and their pride for their braids. Perhaps that was something she could do for him.


	4. borage

**A/N**

Okay so chapter four. Thanks for reading it! I've had a writing bug for a while so it's good to get it out onto something fun like this. **  
**  
Also, the titles of each chapter are that of flowers that I hope fit the theme of each chapter. I referenced Wikipedia, so I hope they haven't led me astray. And there will be more flowers coming soon. (I blame my job for the oncoming flowers, really. Played with garden stuff the other day and just. FLOWERS.)

Thank you for reading!

* * *

**Chapter 4  
**  
_borage_

It had been a few days since Bofur had been around the tavern. It was as simple as he was very busy keeping up on the toys he was selling as well as the toys he owed Sebastian. The old hobbit was milking the dwarf for all that he was worth while he fed him information on hobbits. Bofur thought he would be quite the hobbit expert at any moment now, and was pleased that he would be able to reveal his knowledge to Clover. He just hoped she wouldn't be offended by it or anything.

He was also working on a new gift for her, so he was pleased he had not seen her for a few days. If he laid eyes on her, he would be far to distracted to even dream of finishing it, instead wanting to talk with her. He was lovesick already, and he did not mind it in the slightest.

Humming, he put the gift away in his satchel for safe keeping, so to work on it later. His stomach rumbled and he couldn't help but laugh. Bofur hadn't realized it was so close to lunch time! He had been so wrapped up in the carving for his hobbit lass, he didn't realize the time had passed.

Bofur slung his satchel on before heading down the stairs of the inn. While this place had nice enough food, it did not have a hobbit to serve it to him. No, he would go a few streets over to his usual haunt. Which is what he did, singing a lively tune as he walked through the streets.

Upon entering the pub, he was delighted to see Clover working. She was darting through tables, taking orders and delivering them. Her hair was a mess, she was flushed, and she looked like she may murder one of her customers when he slapped her firmly on her backside, laughing as he did.

Oh, Bofur would not stand for that. Straightening up, he marched over to the offender. The man was now trying to get Clover in his lap, and Bofur could see now how drunk he was. The man was treating this like a game! If looks could kill, Bofur suspected the man would have been dead already by the way Clover was glaring at him as she tried to get out of his grasp.

Bofur pulled Clover from the man's grasp, pushing her behind him. The man seemed confused when he lost his prize and turned towards the dwarf.

"What d'ye want?" He slurred, thumping his fist on the table. Bofur only offered the man a smile.

"That's not the way to treat a lass, sir. Especially the one who brings you your meal!" Bofur scolded, the smile never leaving his face. "I think you should apologize to her now."

The man stared at Bofur, his eyes rather unfocused. Then he laughed, making a poor attempt to grab the dwarf. Bofur just sighed, as though dealing with a pest instead of a full grown man.

"Yer jus' a dwarf! No bigger than a child!" The man laughed as he staggered to his feet. "I should show ye' how we treat dwarfs!"

The patrons of the pub were all watching now. The man made a grab for Bofur again, this time managing to snag one of Bofur's braids. The dwarf gave a surprised yelp and delivered a punch to the man's stomach. He let go of the braid in surprise and lunged for the dwarf, only for Bofur to take a step back. While the man staggered, clearly surprised at the dwarf's evasiveness, Bofur stuck his foot out, tripping him. The man fell like a sack of potatoes, groaning as he hit the floor.

The patrons laughed, and Clover felt relieved there was no more threat. Two of the other employees grabbed the drunk and hauled him out the door while Bofur fiddled with his braid.

"Ohh, he pulled out one of my clasps." He mourned quietly, frowning at the end of his braid.

"Oy, Clover! Get this dwarf out of here and take a few minutes to yourself, you hear me!" Her boss said, pointing to the upstairs. "Come down when you feel ready!"

Clover nodded and grabbed Bofur by the wrist, tugging him along. "Let's get you fixed up, Mister Bofur. Can't have a dwarf walking around with messy braids!" She exclaimed as she dragged him up the stairs to her room. Bofur smiled and trailed after her.

She had him sit down on her bed again. "I'll go get us something to eat. Wait here, and then I will fix your braids, all right?" She handed him her hair brush. "Get it all brushed out, and I'll be back with some lunch."

Bofur unbraided the rest of his hair, setting down the remaining clasp. He sighed softly as his fingers carded through his braids, loosening them up til his hair was down and wavy. Next he took the brush and ran it over his hair, smoothing out any tangles.

Clover came back after a few minutes. She set the tray of food down on the table and smiled. "Come on, sit down with me and we can eat."

The dwarf nodded and took a seat at the small table, eyes widening at the food. She had brought up stew(which was filled with vegetables and pork), bread, butter, some fruit, and a fresh pot of tea. To him, it was quite a feast and he gave her a questioning look. Clover poured him some tea and smiled.

"What? Hobbits enjoy their food, dear Mister Bofur!" She told him, passing over a cup of tea. "Now, tuck in! And then I shall fix your hair."

They ate in silence until they had their fill. Clover piled the dishes back on the tray before she retrieved the hairbrush and clasps from her bed. Smiling, she looked at Bofur.

"May I?"

Bofur smiled brightly and nodded. "Aye! I trust you."

And so Clover went to work, brushing out his hair before parting it. Humming softly, her fingers moved swiftly, trying to recall what she remembered of braids. While she didn't know much of braids in dwarven culture, she did know they were important to them, so she made sure that even the simple braids she gave him looked as magnificent as possible. As soon as one braid was one, she was putting one of her hair clasps on the end of it before moving to another. Clover worked in silence, only to hum in approval once she finished.

"I hope these are all right. I haven't been able to read much on braids, unfortunately. Will these do?" She asked, playfully tugging on one of the braids. Bofur's hands reached back, his fingers touching the news braids, inspecting. When his fingers touched the clasps, Clover knew he was smiling even with his back turned to her.

"Ah, but you seem to know a little bit on our culture, don't you?" He teased. "Bringing a feast to me, braiding my hair? Even giving me your hair clasps? That is courtship to dwarfs, my dear hobbit lass."

Clover merely blushed and playfully swatted the back of his head. "Oh, hush you. You lost a clasps defending my honor to that drunk, and I have not worn those since I was a child! I... I thought it would be a nice gift to you, since you have been so kind to me lately." She reached over, playing with one of his braids, her cheeks still pink. "And I didn't think that was a feast... I just wanted to thank you."

Bofur just grinned and glanced back at her. "Thank you for your kindness, my dear Miss Clover. For not turning me away or sending someone after me because of this. I know I am quite stubborn about this, but please take to hear that while we don't really know each other, we have the rest of our lives to learn. And I swear to you that I wish to know everything about you while being your husband."

Clover could only blush harder at that statement, but she did give him a bit of a smile.


	5. rosemary

**A/N  
**Chapter fiiiive. Woo! Thank you for reading. I'm enjoying this, writing something fun and silly. And I'm glad people are reading it! Now I've written the reason why the two are in Bree in the next coming chapters, so hopefully it flows well!

* * *

**Chapter 5  
**  
_rosemary  
_  
A few days later, Clover awoke to a fiddle playing outside her window. Startled, she stumbled out of bed, almost knocking over her table as she rushed to the window, throwing it open.

On the street below stood a young lad and Bofur. The boy had the fiddle, his face scrunched in concentration as he tried to play along with Bofur's whistle. Clover couldn't help but laugh, not out of malice but out of relief. She thought something awful had happened! The tune was one she recognized from the Shire; however, it was not a tune one played for courtship.

"My dear Mister Bofur!" She called down to him, a big smile on her face. "Where did you learn this song?"

He stopped playing and lowered the whistle, his smile never fading. "Why, from old Sebastian Took! Taught me all I need to know about hobbits, including music!"

She covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "My dear, dear dwarf..."  
"I'm getting the impression I have been led astray by this old hobbit." He replied before nudging the lad. "I think we're done here, Mister Magnus. Run along home to your mum now, you hear?"

The boy held his hand out first. Laughing, Bofur placed a toy - Clover thought perhaps it was a dragon, in the boy's hand. Grinning, Magnus waved to Clover before he took off down the road, fiddle and new toy in hand.

Clover moved away from the window, pulling on her cloak before she made her way down to the street. Bofur was there, waiting for her, as he played a different tune on his whistle. This one she didn't recognize, but she suspected it might have been dwarvish.

"My dear dwarf, that song you had been playing..." She began, shaking her head as she chuckled. "I should not laugh, forgive me, but that song is traditionally played at a burial! What is this old Took telling you about hobbits exactly?"

Bofur looked dumbfounded for a moment before he just shrugged and smiled. "Said hobbits enjoyed a good tune now and then. He taught me a few tunes last night, probably not realizing what songs were what! Dear me, I haven't offended you with my music choice, have I?"  
"No, no! Not at all. It was a pleasant surprise to wake up to a song from home, even if I thought someone had passed!" She replied, smiling. "Have you had breakfast yet, Bofur? If not, come inside and I will make you some."

So Bofur followed her into the pub, pleased that she seemed to enjoy the wake up call, even if it was the wrong choice of music. She led him back into the kitchen, where there was a small table and a few chairs set up.

"Have a seat while I start cooking! And... and why not tell me about your family, my dear Mister Bofur?" She suggested as she grabbed a skillet and other things. "Do dwarfs have large families like hobbits, or are they often times small?"

Bofur sat back on his chair as he pulled out his pipe. "Some do, some don't. Myself, it's me and my brother, as well as our cousin. They're still in the Blue Mountains, while I'm here." He said as he puffed on his pipe. "Not many dwarf children in most families, however. Male dwarfs outnumber the ladies quite a bit."

"Mmm, is that why you are seeking a hobbit wife?" She teased as she cracked a few eggs over the skillet. Bofur chuckled softly, but it wasn't his usual joyful laugh. Almost more sad sounding, if Clover had to guess. "Bofur?"

"No, no. I didn't come here to seek a wife, hobbit nor dwarf. I came here because I couldn't bare to be in those mountains any longer. A change, you know?" He said, his smile sad. Clover could feel her heart ache for him, though she wasn't sure why.

"What kind of change? Did something happen there?"

Bofur watched her carefully for a moment before blowing out a few smoke rings. "Nay, nothing happened. I just... wanted to see the land for a bit. I may return to the mountains some day, but for now, I'm content here in Bree." His smile returned, this time bright and happy. "I'm content being here with you. Now, I am curious, why is a hobbit in Bree? I'm to understand you lot love your Shire, and the flowers and land that is around it. There's not much of that here in Bree."

Clover huffed a bit and tossed on some bacon. "Well, I suppose I needed a change of scenery as well. Mostly due to being stubborn."

"A hobbit after my own heart!" Bofur teasingly added. Clover tossed some eggshells at him for that.

"Oh, hush! No, it's because my aunt and uncle thought to marry me off the moment I became of age. My brother supported the idea, saying I would make a fine wife to someone." She growled as she began to stab at the eggs. "The hobbit they wanted me to marry was lovely, but he just was not for me. So while they planned a wedding, I planned my escape! And days before we were to be wed, I left. Took the things I needed and left for Bree."

Bofur stared at her, rather surprised. "Really. You ran away because you did not wish to marry? How long ago was this?"

"Only years ago, dear Bofur. My brother came after me later, trying to talk sense into me." She said with a sigh as she flipped the food onto their plates. "He knew it would be hopeless, though, but I simply refused. He didn't put up much of a fight, knowing that I wouldn't do whatever it was he asked. Dear Hamfast has come to visit me occasionally, bringing his wife and child along. There is no ill feelings towards me, thankfully."

She handed him a plate of food as well as a cup of tea before taking a seat for herself. Bofur watched her for a moment, leaving his food untouched. She smiled at him.

"I have no desire to leave Bree just because you wish to marry me, dear Bofur. Have no fear." She assured him.

"Well, that's good to know, I think." He replied with a smile. "I'd hate to have to chase after you."

Days later, Bofur stood on the street under her window, playing a different tune on his whistle. He played through the song once before he lowered the instrument, awaiting his hobbit lass to open her window. However, she never appeared, half asleep with her curls a mess which was the usual sight that Bofur saw. The window remained shut and he saw no movement. Frowning, he played another tune, one a little sharper than before. Perhaps she had a long night - he wondered if she was just a heavy sleeper today.

After the second, third, and fourth tune were played through, he finally picked up a stone and aimed it at her window. Just as he was about to throw, a voice called out to him, "Are you that dwarf that comes around here all the time?"

Bofur froze, turning his attention to the pub door. There stood one of the employees, who just raised an eyebrow at Bofur.

"You are! Well, Clover says to stop with the racket and to just come upstairs." He announced, opening the door for the dwarf. "And take her this." Bofur was handed a tray of tea and soup. "Poor lass is ill and won't be up and about today."

Bofur's eyes widened as he ran upstairs, being mindful of the tray. He let himself into her room, startled to see her curled up under her blankets, forehead sweaty and cheeks flushed with a fever. He set the tray down on her table and approached her bed.

"Miss Clover?" He asked softly. She grumbled in response, burying herself further into her blankets. He touched her shoulder softly as he chewed on his lip. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine." Clover replied, her voice hoarse. A sneeze came, then a cough. "Just a bit under the weather. Shake it off in a few days. Just need sleep." She rubbed her eyes and peeked out from her blankets. "Don't worry, dear Bofur."

But he did worry. Bofur had witnessed all to many deaths to illness while in the Blue Mountains. Most started out as just a normal cold, but it often times turned worse in just days before death took them. He chewed on his fingernails, worry etched on his face. Clover frowned as she started to sit up in her bed.

"Bofur? What's wrong?"

"No, no, just lay back. I'll take care of you!" He insisted, gently pushing her onto her back. "We'll get you some more pillows - you should be propped up to help you breath better, yes? And I'll make sure you have fresh tea! You will be back to yourself in no time!"

Clover sighed and nodded, laying back on her bed as Bofur fretted about. They had barely known each other for a month by now, but she had never seen him so anxious. He was trying to play it off, but she was worried now. She didn't think to long on it before she was dozing back to sleep, reclined upon a pile of pillows; the last thing she remembered was Bofur playing a soft tune on his whistle as he started to pace around her room.


	6. eglantine rose

**A/N  
**Been a few days since my last update - sorry! My work schedule is nuts. Anyways. I felt I needed to state a few things before the next few chapters!  
1) so honestly, I didn't realize Samwise had siblings. And because of that lack of realization, I will say then this is slightly AU with Samwise being an only child simply for my own sanity and ability of writing for children. I don't spend enough time around them to be able to understand how kids even begin to function, so dear Samwise is an only child.

2) No real angst in this story either, just a heads up. Except for this chapter. I did my best with angst.

Enjoy. :D

* * *

**Chapter 6**  
_eglantine rose_

When Clover woke up again, Bofur was working on a wood carving next to her bed. He was humming something as he worked, focused entirely on his project. Sighing softly, she stretched her arms, reaching over to touch his shoulder.

"Bofurrrr." She grumbled, voice still hoarse. He looked at her and smiled, putting the project back into his bag.

"You're awake!" He exclaimed, a little too relieved sounding. Clover frowned a bit.

"Aye, just needed a bit of sleep." She yawned as she straightened herself up in the nest of pillows and blankets. "Heh, how long have you been sitting there?"

"Oh, not long." He replied, shrugging as he got up to pour her some tea. "I actually worked your shift at the pub for you. Your boss said my pacing was too loud up here, so I was put to work."

"Why... why were you pacing?" She asked as he handed her a cup of tea. "Dear Bofur... this is just a cold, you know? I will be back to normal in a few days." She sipped the tea. "Why are you so worried? Do dwarfs not get sick?"

Oh, the look on his face, it broke Clover's heart. It was a look of loss, sadness, despair. Clover had never seen so many emotions in one person's face before.

"Bofur."

He shook his head and grabbed the tray from the table. He had brought her a fresh bowl of soup for her to eat, given that he had eaten the earlier one. He set the tray down on her lap, making sure it wouldn't topple over on her.

"Bofur, you are worrying me. Why are you acting like I'm going to be greeted by Death soon?"

"I'm not. I'm just sad you are ill, Miss Clover." He said as he sat back on his chair. "I hope you get better! And I will do what I can to help." He was back to smiling now, any trace of sadness was gone. Clover sighed and started to eat her soup. She sensed there was something more to this than he was letting on.

In fact, she knew there was.

Bofur ended up staying the night, camped out in that chair next to her bed. Clover waited until he fell asleep before throwing a blanket over him. She didn't need him getting sick! Once she got comfortable, she fell into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

When she awoke the next morning, however, he was gone. Sighing, she stretched out on her bed, relieved to have a few moments to herself. She threw her blankets off and sat up in her bed, turning herself to get out of the bed. Placing her feet on the cold floor, she shivered and stood up as she paced around her room a bit. Lying around was nice and all, but she was starting to get stiff, even after one day!

She crept out of her room and down the hallway to the bathroom to relieve herself. From the sounds of the downstairs, Bofur was working her shift again. There was much laughter and chatter, which was something not heard when she worked. But then again, Bofur was far more social than she was. While Clover did not mind her job, she was never intent on making friends with everyone she saw, like Bofur did.

Once she was back in her room, she climbed back into her bed, sighing. The moment she pulled the covers back over her, Bofur was opening the door, carrying a tray of tea and soup, with toast, in one hand. On the tray was also a small vase of flowers - phlox, oxeye daisies, and mallows. His smile lit up the room when he saw that she was awake.

"Sleep well? I hope my snoring didn't keep you awake." He said as he brought the tray over, setting it on the bed. "Your boss is a very nice man, you know! He doesn't mind letting me work your shifts for you while you recover."

Clover smiled a bit as she sat up straighter in the bed. "Thank you for doing that. Keep all the money you make from it, though. You worked for it."

Bofur shook his head, pouring them both a cup of tea. "No, no. It is your job, therefore your money. I am just helping you while you are ill."

"Mhmm, dear Bofur, you are far to kind for your own good." She replied as she took a cup from him. He merely shrugged, putting the vase of flowers next to the photos of her brother and nephew. She took a few sips of her tea, watching him curiously. "Dear Bofur, why are you so adament on taking care of me? I will be fine, you know..."

Bofur sighed softly and set his cup down. "I... just want to be certain that you will get over this, that's all. I've seen many get sick so easily in the last few years, and then pass away..." He trailed off, shuddering.

"Oh, dear Bofur..."

"I can't bare to see it happen again." He continued, his voice cracking slightly. "I haven't told you all the reasons I left the mountains, dearest Clover."

She shook her head and set down her tea. Being mindful of the tray of soup, she turned in her bed to face him. After taking his cup away and setting it aside, she pulled him into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her and let out a shuddering breath, tightening his grip on her.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered.

"Oh, shush. There is nothing to be sorry for." She mumbled against his shoulder. "'lest you have a wife and horde of children back in the mountains, then you have something to be sorry for." She added jokingly.

To her surprise, and some relief, he chuckled at that. He held onto her for another few minutes before finally pulling back, sniffing a bit.

"I was married, though. Was." He began, rubbing his nose. She handed him a handkerchief and he took it with a nod of thanks. "Heh, even had a child."

"Had?" Clover repeated with a frown. Bofur nodded.

"Forgive me if I do cry, dear lass. I will do my best not too." Bofur said, a sad smile on his face. "It was no more than two years ago. There was an illness going around the Blue Mountains. Dwarfs were getting all around. Most were able to fight it off; they were well within a week or so. But some... just couldn't fight it." He lifted up his cup of tea, hand shaking slightly. "Me, my wife, and child all became ill at once. My brother did what he could to take care of us. I managed to bounce back pretty quickly... but my wife... she never fully recovered after giving birth to our daughter all those years ago. It really took a toll on her."

Clover listened intently to him, trying to absorb what he was telling her as she sipped her tea. Bofur brought his tea up for a drink, but decided against it, putting it back on the bedside table.

"I did what I could once I got better, but I was still so tired from being sick myself..." He choked a bit, covering his mouth before trying to calm himself down. "Our... she died first, our daughter. She was always a delicate thing for a dwarf child. And when she passed, my wife followed shortly after. They couldn't shake the illness. Later learned it to be the flu - something that ails the humans more than us dwarfs!"

"Oh, Bofur..." Clover set her tea down and pulled him back to her. She didn't know what to say, keeping her arms around him. Her brother was far better with comforting words than she ever was. All she thought to do was hold Bofur, to let him cry on her shoulder if he needed. "I'm... so sorry."

He nodded, burying his face against her shoulder. "'m sorry, too." He replied, voice muffled against her shoulder. "Tellin' this to you while you're sick..."

Clover tightened her grip around him. "Oh, hush. This is a cold, I know because I've had them before. I'm already starting to feel better, and having you around has certainly helped."

He nodded, holding onto her for another moment before pulling back again. "I came here only a few months ago, you know. I tried to continue living there in those mountains, with my brother and cousin, but it was so hard with the memories of them. Thought if I came somewhere new, everything would be better."

"Oh? And has it gotten any better?"

Shrugging, he sat back on his chair. "I suppose... I became happier. I also met this lovely hobbit lass! Though I think I spooked her when I said I would marry her."

Clover smiled a bit. "I think you did. Though I think the hobbit wonders now if you really wish to marry her, even with the heartbreak you've endured."

"Trust me, the dwarf would have to be an idiot to not want too." He replied smiply, his smile returning.

"You still don't know me that well, Bofur..."

"Which is why, dear Clover, we have the rest of our lives."


	7. white carnation

**A/N:**

Here we are, chapter seven! I'm glad folks are enjoying it! I'm writing the ninth chapter now, and I'm in the mode to start wrapping this thing up. I'm now bringing in the Gamgees, which have been fun to write so far.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter 7**

_white carnation_

Clover was back to herself by the end of the week, working her shift at the pub. Bofur stayed with her until she insisted he return to his own place to catch up on sleep. And he did, much to her relief. She needed to be by herself for a few days to think some things over.

The revelation of Bofur's life in the Blue Mountains was the biggest thing on her mind, really. He had been married, even had a child, both whom he lost to illness. That explained why he was so determined to see her get well. He didn't want to lose her in the same fashion, not when he was finding happiness once again.

Sighing, the hobbit wiped down some of the tables as customers left. Did he really want to marry her, and spend the rest of his life with her, or was he so lonely he just jumped at the first non-human he saw?

'No, no, don't think that way!' She scolded herself, shaking her head. 'Maybe he is a fool, but he has been ever so kind to you in the last few weeks, so don't send him down the river yet!'

That much is true. He had stayed by her side while she had that silly cold, only leaving to work her shifts in the pub! When he wasn't working, he was with her, playing a tune for her, or talking. Sometimes she caught him whittling something when she woke up, but he would hastily put it away so she could not see it.

Sighing, Clover wished the day would be over. She felt exhausted and just wanted to lay down in her bed. In a week, she would leave for the Shire to see her nephew for his birthday. Realization hit her, however. She hadn't told Bofur yet. Clover wondered if he would come with her or stay in  
Bree.

Bofur awoke to something hitting his window. Yawning, he got out of his bed, wondering if some children were up to no good or if there were birds outside trying to get in. Either way, he was confused and still sleepy. He pulled open his curtains, looked out the window, and smiled sleepily. Clover was standing below the window, one hand clutching a bouquet of flowers, while the other tossed a stone up and down in the air. She was grinning.

He unlatched the window and opened it gently, grinning down at her. "Oy, you just got over being ill, my dear!" He called down to her. "You should be inside, all bundled up and warm! Not out in these cold streets!"

"Aye, but I needed to come see you!" She replied, grinning. "I need to talk to you about something!"

Bofur nodded and pulled away from his window. He closed the window, slipped his boots on, then grabbed his coat before heading down the steps to her. He hurried outside to her, smiling.

"Silly lass!" He said as he threw his coat over her. "It is still cold out! What brings you here anyways? Often times it's me waking you up!"

She laughed softly and pulled his coat tighter around before handing him the bouquet. "These are you for, dear Bofur, in thanks for taking care of me while I was taken ill." She said with a smile. "While I have enjoyed the flowers you have been bringing me, I thought perhaps I should return the favor!"

Bofur took the flowers and smiled. The bouquet held sweetpeas, a few dark pink roses, as well as some forget-me-nots. "Why, lass, these are lovely! Thank you." He said, giving her a kiss on the forehead; Clover could not help but blush. "But now, let's get you inside and out of this morning cold! I can't let you get sick again, can I?"

He ushered her into the deserted dining area of the inn, where there was a fire already going. He seated her near the fire before disappearing to the kitchen, only to return empty handed.

"The cook is already awake and getting some breakfast made!" He told her as he took a seat. "Now, what is it you needed to talk to me about?"

"Oh! Well, my nephew's birthday is approaching." Clover said, keeping his coat tightly around her as she warmed up. "And I will be traveling to the Shire for it. Would... you like to join me?"

Bofur's eyes lit up. "To the Shire?" He asked. She nodded, biting down on her lip, now looking unsure. "Of course, I'd love too, if that is truly what you wish!"

"It really is, dear Bofur!" She replied, clapping her hands together, a smile back on her face. She was pleased that he wanted to go with her, and hoped her brother would approve of him.

Little Samewise Gamgee huffed softly as his little trowel dug into the dirt. He had his own spot of dirt in his father's garden, and he was determined to make it the best looking plot. His father had given Samwise some seeds to plant: carrots, poppies, pumpkins. And his father had been teaching him how to garden since Samwise could remember, therefore, he was certain he would have the best garden in all of Hobbiton!

He sang to himself as he worked on the dirt, loosening it up before he dared to plant the seeds. The song was just something he was making up as he went along, really.

"Plant the seeds, away we go! Plant the seeds, wonder what will grow!" He sang as he grabbed the watering can, pouring a liberal amount of water on his newly planted garden.

"Be careful with the water, lad! Don't overdo it!" Hamfast called to him. Samwise nodded and set the watering can down before crouching down in front of his garden, staring at the wet ground. "Now what are you up too?"

"Watchin' the plants grow!" Samwise replied, staring intently at the ground. Hamfast chuckled and shook his head.

"Why not come over here and give me a hand then?" Hamfast suggested. "The seeds are shy and won't do anything with you watchin' them!"

Samwise was beside his father in an instant, clutching his trowel as he awaited orders. Hamfast pointed out the areas that still needed seeds before handing them to his son. Samwise went right to work, carefully putting the seeds into the dirt, all while singing that song of his.

The two were busy at work, not paying any mind to passerbys. It was a nice day for gardening, with the sun high and bright with a slight breeze blowing through. With the start of spring, the rain would be less and their gardens would start to thrive. Hamfast was always determined to have the best garden in Hobbiton, but more often than not he was just pleased that his garden grew.

"Well, look at that fine garden!" A voice called out. "That couldn't be old Gamgee's garden, could it?"


	8. lavender

**A/N  
**Okay so I feel like my writing is getting... choppy on these last few chapters. Sorry about that! But here we meet the family. I don't know why, but I enjoyed writing out the Gamgee family, and the last scene as well. Enjoy. :3

* * *

**Chapter 8  
**  
_lavender_

Samwise looked up while his father remained focused on the garden. He only looked up when Samwise let out an excited squeal and took off, clambering up the fence, to the other side, and into the arms of two folks standing there.

One of them let out a laugh, and Hamfast knew who that was. He got up, brushing the dirt from his clothes before following after his son. Samwise had already situated himself in Clover's arms, talking a mile a minute to her about his garden, and what he planted, and that he was now helping his father plant more things!

Clover listened intently to her nephew, while her companion leaned on the fence, looking at the garden. What a strange looking bloke he was! Hamfast knew he was no hobbit, but not of men, either. Hamfast gave him a proper look over as he stood in front of his sister. The companion had braids in his hair and mustache, and his clothes were a bit untidy and torn. By the boots he wore and the style of his clothes, Hamfast figured him to be a dwarf. And not a very clean one.

"Who might this be?" Hamfast asked, arms across his chest as he surveyed Bofur with a frown. Bofur smiled and gave him a polite bow before holding out his hand for a shake.

"I am Bofur!" The dwarf replied, smile never faltering even as Hamfast glowered at him before taking his hand and shaking it. Samwise looked from his aunt to the dwarf.

"And why are you here?"

"Oh, Hamfast, please!" Clover sighed as she set Samwise back on the ground. Her nephew took his place next to his father, fists raised. He didn't know who this dwarf was either, and he would defend his aunt's honor if he had too! Though he wasn't sure why, but going by how grumpy his father looked, Samwise thought he better assist if needed.

"It's all right, Clover!" Bofur said. "This is your older brother then? He seems like a nice fellow!" Hamfast just glowered. "And is this your nephew? He seems to take after his father!"

Clover could only shake her head, hands on her hips. "Aye! Brother dear, this is Bofur, whom plans to marry me! And dear Bofur, this stubborn hobbit is my brother, who really needs to straighten up and let us into his home now, as we have been walking the last two days and could use a rest!"

Hamfast seemed to want to say something, but instead, just shook his head and headed to the gate, taking the small path up to their door. Samwise looked at his aunt and her friend before running after his father. Sighing, Clover grabbed Bofur by the arm and pulled him along.

"Your family seems quite lovely!" Bofur said as they headed to the door.

"I almost forgot how stubborn hobbits were." She grumbled in reply. "Almost as stubborn as dwarfs."

The pair had arrived just in time for tea. As Bell was preparing the tea and putting out a plate of treats, Bofur, Clover, and Hamfast sat at the table. Hamfast was watching Bofur closely, while the dwarf whittled away at something. Samwise was sitting on Clover's lap, watching Bofur, though more curiously than his father was.

"What are you making?" Samwise asked. Bofur glanced up with a smile.

"Oh, just a toy. Saw a group of squirrels on our way here, and thought it'd be fun to make one." Bofur told the lad. "Do you like squirrels, young Samwise?"

"Aye! I like watching them climb the trees and run around, though they like to mess up our garden sometimes." The young hobbit said with a sigh. "So pesky, they are! But bunnies are my favorite animal. With their big ears and fluffy tails!"

Bofur chuckled and nodded, being mindful of some of the delicate edges forming on the toy. "Bunnies do have fluffy tails, don't they? I'm rather fond of them as well, you know? And your auntie has told me that they are your favorite animal, so I can see she wasn't wrong."

"Auntie told you about me?" Samwise asked, eyes wide. Bofur nodded.

"Oh, aye, she did, laddie." Bofur replied. Samwise looked up at his aunt, as though needing confirmation. She smiled and nodded, smoothing his curls down.

"I did, Samwise!" Clover said, smiling. "Told him you were the best gardener in all of Hobbiton, and how you always planted the best sunflowers for me." Samwise puffed up, looking awfully proud of himself. "Perhaps during our stay, you could show Bofur how to garden and pick flowers for me? He brought me such lovely flowers, but some of them still had the roots attached to them!" She winked at Bofur, hoping that Samwise will keep warming up to him. Samwise looked scandalized at the thought of bouquets with dirty roots attached to them!

"Oh, that is true." Bofur added, looking almost regretful. "I wasn't sure she would want to marry me when I brought her those flowers. But she agreed to it, bless her heart!"

"Yes, and how did this... engagement actually come to be?" Hamfast now asked, frown in place as he watched Bofur. "I never recall her ever mentioning you in a letter."

"That's 'cause we've known each other... about two months?" Bofur said, looking to Clover with a smile. "Love at first sight, I'd say. Though, I think I spooked her at first."

"That is romantic!" Bell chimed in, giggling. Bofur smiled at her.

"Not even two months, and you two wish to marry?!" Hamfast looked just as scandalized as Samwise had with the bouquets. "That is not proper courting! I don't think I can approve of this, Clover."

She glared at her brother, but said nothing as she continued to hold Samwise in her lap. She knew there was no use to fighting him on this, not yet. He was still in shock, he'd get over it and realize he was acting like a fool. After tea, she would have a proper discussion with her brother about this. She glanced at Bell, smiling when she finally set the cups and kettle.

Clover pretended not to notice when Bell slipped a bit of whiskey into Hamfast's cup. He could use a little extra something right now.

Bell prepared the guest rooms for them after tea. Bofur insisted on helping, saying she was unprepared for the second guest. So, she put him to work, helping make up the beds with pillows and blankets. Samwise helped as well, making sure the pillows were fluffed in just the right way.

When they disappeared to the hallway, with Samwise and Bell giving Bofur a tour of the house, Clover turned to her brother.

"You were all fine to marry me off years ago to someone I barely knew, yet here I am, now, with someone I barely know, ready to marry, and you are being so rude to him!" She exclaimed, shaking her head. Hamfast rolled his eyes.

"Forgive me, sister, but you did bring him here, unannounced. There have been no letters from you for months!" He told her, shaking his head. "And now you bring... a... a dwarf! If it were a hobbit you were to marry, then so be it! But a dwarf?"

Clover wrinkled her nose, straightening herself up as she glared at her brother. "Aye, a dwarf! Where is the harm in that? He has been nothing but kind to me since he first courted me. Even took care of me when I was sick not even two weeks ago! Never left my  
side, never complained."

"Dwarfs like their mountains, sister dear." Hamfast replied, making a face. "Do you really think he will stick around here for very long? Or what if he steals you away to them! I might never see you again!"

"And hobbits love the Shire!" Clover shot back, hand slapping the table. "And what if he takes me away to the mountains? So long as I am with him, it will be fine! Bofur cares deeply for me and won't do anything to upset me! Do not talk foul about dear Bofur, for he is a far better choice for me than that hobbit you tried to marry me too years ago!"

With that, Clover stood up from the table and stormed off to find her betrothed.


	9. amaryllis

**A/N  
**Only a few chapters left! I'm going to try and push myself harder to update because I leave on a trip in two weeks and will be away from a computer, so my goal is to have this completed by then. Thanks for reading!

Also IDK about this chapter. I'm just starting to like writing Bell a lot.

* * *

**Chapter 9  
**_amaryllis  
_

Tension was thick in the Gamgee hobbit hole. Neither sibling was acknowledging each other for several hours. Bell managed to steal Clover away to the market, while Hamfast worked in his garden. On the other side of Hamfast's home, inspecting a plot of soil in front of Clover's bedroom window, was Bofur and Samwise. Bofur was doing his best to stay out of Hamfast's sight for the time being, and little Samwise was insistent on following the dwarf around. Thankfully, Bofur did not mind this.

"This a good place, laddie?" The dwarf asked, kneeling next to the young hobbit. He poked at the soil before looking up towards the sky. "Will there be enough sun for them?"

The hobbit nodded, arms folded across his chest as he inspected the plot. "Aye! Sunflowers like sun, and auntie never comes to the side of the house."

"Well, what if she opens her window?" Bofur asked, raising an eyebrow. Samwise frowned. He hadn't thought of that. "We could... spin a tale. Perhaps the shutters stick, therefore the windows will not open."

"We can do that!" Samwise cried, face full of excitement. "Auntie will believe me! And... and sunflowers can grow fast, depending on how well you care for them! And I will give them the best care, I promise!"

Bofur laughed and ruffled the lad's hair. "You're a smart one, Samwise! I appreciate your help with this gift."

Samwise looked as proud as ever.

Clover fussed about her brother as she and Bell shopped through the market, picking out the fixings for dinner for the next few nights. Bell politely hummed in agreement, or nodded, when Clover would ask things like, _'How could he be so rude to Bofur!_', and, _'Stubborn ol' hobbit, still trying to control my life!'_

When Clover was about to start another tirade, Bell finally spoke up.

"Oh, Clover, ease up! You did bring him here, unannounced!" Bell reminded her, trying to keep her voice calm and low. "There was no letter beforehand, explaining what was going on before you showed up!" Bell closed her eyes and sighed. "Hamfast loves you, Clover. He just wants what is best for you, and for you to be happy. He only reacted that way over the shock of the situation, not because your Mister Bofur is a dwarf or anything of that sort. He... no, we both want to make sure this is the right decision for you, Clover."

"I suppose when you say it like that..." Clover reminded, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I am sorry, Bell! I just... I just want the two to get along. This is all still new to me, as well as confusing!"

Bell sighed softly, nodding as she filled her basket with some things. "Do you really wish to marry him, Clover?" She asked, looking to the younger hobbit. "I know that the engagement years ago did not work out in the slightest, but I just hope this isn't some sort of... revenge on your brother for that."

Clover sighed softly and shook her head. "A small part of me is still terrified of the idea of marriage, but..." She frowned a bit, trying to piece her words together well. "It feels right with dear Bofur, the notion of being married to him. I can see us growing old together, whether it's in the mountains or the Shire, or even in Bree!"

Smiling softly, Bell nodded. "Well then, so long as it feels right, you have my blessing."

Clover couldn't help but smile back.

However, Bell added, "Though you still need to get Hamfast's blessing as well."

When the ladies returned from the market, they were surprised, yet delighted, to see Bofur and Hamfast talking to each other. The subject, they weren't sure of, but they were just relieved that they were getting along. As Bell opened the gate, she handed the basket of goods to Clover so she could gather her son up in her arms.

"Samwise! You're covered in dirt!" Bell scolded gently, looking her son over. It was true, as Samwise was covered head-to-toe in dirt. He often dirtied his hands and knees in the garden, but never his entire body. "What ever were you doing?"

Samwise looked like he was about to reply, but when he saw his auntie, he shut his mouth, shaking his head. "Tis a secret!" And that was all he would say, folding his arms across his chest as he nodded.

Clover raised an eyebrow at her nephew, but shrugged it off as she turned to her brother and Bofur. "What have you two been up too? I am pleased to see you are speaking to each other."

Hamfast just shrugged before he went back to his garden. Bofur just smiled at her as he approached her. "Nothing, my dear! Here, let me help you with the basket." He said, taking the basket with one hand while the other went to the small of her back, gently pushing her along. Clover went along with him, grabbing his arm to take his hand in hers as they walked along. Once they were inside, Bell turned to her husband, eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"So, really, what is going on?"

Hamfast shrugged. "He seems like a very nice dwarf, and really seems to care for my sister."

"Mhmm."

"It's a secret, mama!" Samwise insisted. Hamfast ruffled his son's hair and nodded in agreement. Bell rolled her eyes and shook her head, heading inside herself.


	10. daisy

**A/N**  
I had fun writing this chapter but I feel it's rather long and silly. I had just reread the first few chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring when I wrote this, so.

* * *

**Chapter 10  
**  
_daisy_

Samwise's birthday party was a nice little gathering. The party was in the middle of Hobbiton, in the field by the town center. Most of Hobbiton showed up - though mostly families with wee hobbits that were Sam's age. He was delighted, dashing about with his friends while the adults talked. Samwise also proudly boasted that he would have a new uncle soon; an uncle who was a dwarf who made toys! He proudly showed off the rabbit toy Bofur had made, as well as a few other things Bofur made in the week he had been staying with the Gamgees.

Bofur stayed near Clover during all of this, politely introducing himself to any who asked. Despite being told about hobbits by the old Took in Bree, Bofur couldn't help but be surprised by the amount of food that was at the party. Several tables had been set up earlier in the day, and another one had to be set up once everyone started arriving. There were meats, greens, pastries, and everything else the hobbits could think of. It was a party, and that meant food.

The party went on late into the night with music and dancing. Bofur had secured himself a spot at a table, where some of the children swarmed him, asking about toys and a story. Samwise was at the front lines of the group, begging his soon-to-be uncle for a story about dwarfs. Laughing, Bofur gave in, taking a seat at the table before he pulled the kids in with the tale of Erebor and the dragon that took it over. The children gasped at the right parts, throwing out questions about what had happened next! Where were the dwarfs now? Bofur assured them that the dwarfs were fine, living in new homes now in different mountains.

The children seemed fine with those answers and asked for more stories. Bofur happily started another tale, though this one he was making up on the spot. It was a tale of a hobbit lass who loved flowers, and how her flowers grew taller than some of the trees in all of the Shire! She talked to the flowers while she tended to them, encouraging them to grow. The tale went on, with the flowers sometimes causing more harm than good. And when the hobbit lass was about to start cutting them down, due to folks complaining about allergies, some trolls wandered by, wanting to cause trouble.

Except, due to the enormous height of the flowers and the amount of pollen they were producing, the trolls left, eyes watering and sneezing, and they were unable to see the hobbits and their homes. The lass was considered a hero now, and every year, her flowers continued to grow.

The kids seemed to enjoy that story as well, finding it less frightening than the dragon one, and because it had hobbits.

Clover came up behind Bofur, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Oh, children, may I take him away for a dance? I will return him once I am done!" She begged, smiling. The children grumbled a bit, but Samwise nodded, giving his permission. It was his party, after all, so he allowed it.

Bofur started to protest as he was dragged from his seat, stumbling along after her. "I cannot dance!" He exclaimed. Clover just looked at him, a playful grin on her face as she pointed at his feet.

"Boots. Off." She commanded. "Can't have feet being stomped on!" He hesitated, but quickly slipped his boots off, following her to the dancing. The dance was upbeat and playful, with couples spinning each other in a circle. Clover pulled Bofur to her, taking his hands in hers as they joined the dancing. Bofur let her lead, doing his best to follow along. Once or twice he did stumble, causing them to bump into another couple, but no one was offended or mad.

The song ended, the couples bowed in thanks, all while Bofur was rubbing his feet. These hobbits and their feet! He wondered if he would have to start going without his boots from now on. He didn't mind, really, it was something he could get used too, but he knew it was going to take some time for his feet to toughen up.

Clover tugged at one of his braids gently, smiling brightly. A new tune started, a waltz, and Clover looked eager.

"Once more dance! This one is simple." She said. Bofur straightened up and nodded, a smile on his face. "I promise! Just a waltz, really."

"Aye, I cannot deny you a dance, lass." Bofur replied with a laugh, taking her in his arms and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Clover's eyes lit up. She immediately took control, placing one of his hands on her hip while taking the other in her own hand. Her free hand moved to his shoulder, and, still smiling, she kissed him on the lips before leading him in the waltz.

Bofur was the first one up the next day, his feet aching from the dancing. The two dances turned into three, then four, and he danced with Clover until the party ended. That was all his choice, though, as he slowly grasped the concept of the hobbit style of dancing.

He crept down the hall to the kitchen, only stopping to look in on Clover. She was fast asleep, windows shut with her blankets kicked off to the foot of the bed. He let himself in and quickly covered her back up, leaving a kiss on her cheek before he left to the kitchen. Humming to himself, Bofur started getting breakfast prepared.

A yawn from the doorway caught his attention.

Clover still looked sleepy, still in her night dress with her curls a mess. Bofur couldn't help but smile. She looked beautiful to him.

"You're awake earlier than I thought." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes. He chuckled softly as he got the tea ready for her.

"Well, I got enough sleep as it is, so thought that I'd make breakfast today." He replied, pouring her a cup once it was ready and setting it in front of her. She smiled and mouthed thank you before taking a sip. "I thought you'd still be asleep. You danced the night away!"

"Mrhmm." Was the grumbled response. Bofur chuckled as he served up the breakfast onto plates. Bacon, toast, eggs, and some fried tomatoes. He set the plates around the table, taking a seat next to Clover before he started to eat. She took a bite of her food, then reached up to brush his hair out of his face. "Braids are a mess. Take a bath and I'll fix'em."

Bofur nodded and sipped his tea. "Aye, sounds like a plan, darling."

She smiled and stood up from the table, heading back to her room. Bofur watched her leave, a bit of a frown on his face. Her food was barely touched, and he was starting to worry that perhaps she was feeling ill again.

Thankfully, the worry left him when she returned, her hands behind her back and a smile on her face.

"Now, with hobbits' birthdays, we usually gift each other. I picked this up for you in the market shortly after we arrived here and, well, I hope you like it." She explained, pulling out a small package and passing it over to him. "I saw it and thought of you, so..."

Bofur was quite surprised, but took the package. He pushed his plate aside as he unwrapped it, laughing in delight when he saw what it was.

"A hat!" He exclaimed as he put it on his head. "With wings!"

Clover laughed, reaching over to adjust the hat a bit. "Aye, I saw it when I went to the market with Bell. For some reason, I thought of you."

Bofur just smiled and gave her a kiss.

Bofur was left with Hamfast and Samwise for the day, while Bell dragged Clover off to get fitted for wedding attire. While the ladies were off doing that, Hamfast had pestered Bofur with questions about where they'd be living after the wedding.

"You could stay here, with us, until you secure a home." The older hobbit mused, leaning on his shovel. "But I don't want to make you both uncomfortable." Though what Hamfast really meant was, find a place soon, please.

"Well, I was hoping you could help with that. We talked a bit this morning, right before you lot got up." Bofur began with a shrug. "She expressed desire to live here again, to raise her kids here. I couldn't help but agree. It is lovely here. And the mountains where I'm from aren't a proper place to have a hobbit or our babies."

"Babies?" Samwise asked, looking at the two. Hamfast patted his son on the head.

"Well, let's get looking, then. And don't mention babies again. I don't want to know what you two have been up too." Hamfast glared, shaking his finger at the dwarf. Bofur just grinned.

Hamfast took his son's hand in his, leading the trio down the path and away from their homes. Vacant homes were often rare in Hobbiton, as most were kept in the family. However, things happened and places were abandonded, such as the end of a family line dying out or people moving to other parts of the Shire.

The three inspected the four vacant hobbit holes, all within a decent walking distance of Hamfast's home. The first one place smelled awful - like rotting vegetables and fish. They immediately eliminated that one off the list.

The second one was a bit better, but instead of the rotting smell, it was full of chickens. And smelled like their droppings. Samwise refused to step foot into that house.

Now, the third hobbit hole was practically non-existent. The door and windows were there, but once Bofur opened the door, they could see it was caved in.

"Well. If needed, I could dig this place out..." The dwarf mused. Hamfast shook his head and pulled them along to the last one.

The last one was in shambles. Thankfully, no cave-in of any kind had happened, nor did it have the smell of chickens or rotting food. It was just... dirty. The door was barely hanging on its hinges, while some of the windows were broken. The furniture inside, what was left of it, was still in tact, thankfully.

They inspected the place, taking note that the interior was sound. No risk of collapse, despite no one living in there for a few years. It would take fixing up, but it was nothing Bofur couldn't do with a bit of help from Hamfast. Yes, Bofur could picture them living here. It was perfect.


	11. sunflower

**A/N  
**Oy, this story has sort of moved a bit fast! Sorry 'bout that.

* * *

**Chapter 11**  
_sunflower_

Plans for the wedding were being made by now. Bofur and Clover were still in Hobbiton, though it had now been two weeks since Samwise's birthday had passed. Neither seemed to eager to return to Bree at the present time, now that Clover had a wedding to plan and Bofur had a home to fix up for them.

Bofur had sent word to his brother and cousin in the mountains, telling them of the wedding and that they needed to be on their way. The wedding would happen as soon as those two arrived.

Now Bofur kept himself busy with the house, or with the patch of soil in front of Clover's boarded up window. She still had not seen what was growing there, and Bofur was pleased with that. It was a surprise for her, and he did not want it to be ruined just yet.

Clover kept herself busy as well with planning the wedding. She wanted something small - just her family and Bofur's, but Hamfast argued that it needed to be a big wedding, so that folks could see that she was getting married and settling down. That almost led to a bigger argument before Bell broke it up, saying it would be a medium-sized wedding, with them inviting only family and some friends. That made both sides happy.

Two weeks went by and the wedding planning was almost a done deal. Clover was laying in her bed, covers pulled up over her. She didn't want to move today. She didn't want to think of the wedding or see her brother or do anything, really. She let out a pitiful whine as she rolled over on her side, keeping the blankets on.

A sharp knock on the broken window startled her out from under the blankets. She threw the blankets off and hopped out of the bed, approaching the window. To her understanding, the window was broken. Something about the latch? She couldn't quite recall; Samwise never kept the same story.

Another knock. '_Must be a bird_.' She thought, frowning. Clover huffed in annoyance before she began to force the latch off the window, wondering what was going on. It was quite stubborn in not wanting to budge, but with enough force, Clover unlatched it and pushed the window open.

To her surprise, Bofur was leaning on the windowsill, a grin on his face. Barely reaching the top of the sill was a collection of growing sunflowers. Clover's jaw dropped.

"Where did these come from!" She asked, eyes wide in surprise. "They... they are growing here, aren't they?"

"Aye. Planted them the day after we arrived." Bofur replied, still grinning. "Though I can't take all of the credit. Samwise did quite the job digging the soil up for me."

"You sneaky, sneaky dwarf!" Clover giggled and gave him a kiss. "We'll need to keep watering them til they become taller than the window!"

Bofur smiled and kissed her back, then reached into his pocket. "I also have been working on this for you." He handed her something wrapped in cloth. Smiling, Clover took it from him and unwrapped it carefully. She let out a gasp. It was a wood carving of a rabbit - similiar to the one she gave to Samwise, except this one had sunflowers etched onto it.

"This is lovely!" She cried, looking it over.

"I'm glad you think so!" He could only smile, delighted that she loved the present. "Worked on it in secret, every moment I-" He was cut off by Clover throwing her arms around him and giving him a big kiss. She was almost hanging out the window when they were interrupted by someone calling from the road.

"Oy, Bofur, snatching hobbit maidens from windows now instead of making toys?"

The two looked up; Clover was rather annoyed that they were interrupted, while Bofur let out a cheer, keeping his arms around Clover to prevent her from falling from the sill.

"My family! You made it!" He cheered. Carefully, without treading on the patch of sunflowers, Bofur pulled Clover from the window and dragged her down to the fence. There stood two dwarfs - one whom was quite large with his beard braided down his front and draped over his shoulder, while the other looked more wild with a broken axe head embedded in his skull. Clover was quite speechless.

"Is this the lass you wrote about?" The larger one asked, smiling brightly. Clover's eyes widened; she was meeting Bofur's kin and she was only in her night dress!

"Aye, brother!" Bofur replied as he led his intended over to the fence. Clover was blushing, giving Bofur a smack on the shoulder. He turned to her, a bit confused.

"I'm in my night dress!" She hissed, folding her arms over her chest. Bofur looked slightly embarrassed before he pulled his coat off and draped it over her. "Thank you."

"There we go, now, introductions! My dear Clover, this is my brother, Bombur," He began, gesturing to the larger dwarf, who smiled and gave Clover a polite bow. "And this is our cousin, Bifur. Don't mind the axe, just an old war wound."

Bifur just grunted and gave her a nod, his attention on the flowers around the house.

"Well, um, my name is Clover Gamgee! Pleased to meet you both!" Clover replied with a polite bow. "Shall we head inside and get breakfast started then?"

"Breakfast sounds lovely!" Bombur exclaimed cheerfully. "Let's head inside and get started! Show me where everything is and I shall get started!"

Before Clover could say anything else, Bofur led the two dwarfs to the gate and up to the house. She sighed and followed after them, hoping that Hamfast was still asleep and would not notice the two new guests. While her brother had slowly warmed up to Bofur, the arrival of two new dwarfs might reverse all that.

Hamfast and Bell were still asleep when the two guests arrived. After a quick tour of the kitchen, Bombur went to work on breakfast, insistent that he cooked for them. Bofur and Bifur took seats at the table, while Clover stood awkwardly next to the table, unsure what to say or do. Thankfully, she was saved by her nephew.

"Auntie, Auntie! Dwarfs!" Came Samwise's excited gasp. He stood in the doorway, eyes wide as he pointed at Bifur.

"Oh, don't be so surprised! And don't point, Samwise!" Clover gently scolded. "These are Bofur's family, dear. Bombur is cooking us breakfast, and Bifur is sitting with Bofur. Go introduce yourself."

Now Samwise quieted down, grabbing hold of the coat she still wore, staring quite fearfully at the new dwarfs. Bofur turned to his future nephew and grinned, waving him over. With a nod from Clover, he approached Bofur, who quickly pulled the hobbit lad into his lap.

"Young Master Samwise! This is my family. My cousin, Bifur, who makes better toys than me," Bofur began, gesturing to the dwarf sitting next to him. Bifur just nodded at Samwise, his hands gesturing wildly at the lad. "Now, now, Bifur, the lad doesn't understand Iglishmêk." Bifur just rolled his eyes. "The large one there, cooking us breakfast, is my brother, Bombur! They're going to stay with me at the new house for a few days!"

Samwise nodded, still staring at the two newcomers. Clover just shook her head and took a seat at the table, pulling the coat tighter around her. It was strange now, knowing that with the arrival of Bofur's family that the wedding would be happening soon - likely within a week. And Clover was starting to feel more and more nervous with the thought.


End file.
